The present application relates to a method for modeling transportation or material flows or components generating further functional behavior, in particular in the form of material actions, in particular a mail distribution system. Material action is defined in particular as mechanical, physical or chemical action on a material entity or, as the case may be, a separate medium. The present application also relates to a method for modeling a system having components of said type. Components and/or systems modeled in this way are used for generating discrete, component-oriented simulation models, in particular as a basis for component and/or system implementation.
Discrete, component-oriented simulation, of mail distribution centers for example, is based on the identification and corresponding modeling of said components as well as on the topological linking of the components. Components, in this context, can be conveyor belts, sorting machines, buffers, x-ray devices, unpacking and packing stations and the like. A topology of an installation can include, for example, components such as an unpacking station, through a conveyor belt, to a sorting machine, right through to a packing station. In this case each component type must be modeled from new or implemented accordingly. This is very costly, complex and time-consuming as well as inflexible.
In the prior type a modeling project was performed on the basis that each component type was thought through completely afresh or implemented from scratch. No account was taken of commomalities between component types. No traditional, standardized, flexible modeling concept exists as a basis of a simulation model.